Understanding and addressing risk in systems and software delivery

In this paper, IBM proposes that organizations relying on the traditional waterfall process for systems and software delivery—that is, an engineering governance model—need to make changes to reduce risk and improve results. Although engineering governance once worked when time frames were longer, budgets more generous and projects less complicated, we argue that it is proving largely ineffective today. IBM proposes adoption of agile delivery practices—that is, an economic governance model—for attaining significant improvements.